


Lucky

by Ruquas



Series: Clint Barton Bingo [12]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Animal Abuse (implied), Awesome Clint Barton, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 08:01:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18634093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruquas/pseuds/Ruquas
Summary: „It‘s good you brought him. He would‘ve died if you hadn‘t found him.“, the doctor said and gave him a smile. He nodded, still tired, still hurting. But at least his head didn‘t hurt that much anymore.„So he will be healthy again?“, Clint asked, not knowing why. It was just a stray. Not even his own dog.





	Lucky

The first time he met… it, it was just looking at him before running away, leg between its tails when it noticed that Clint looked back. Strange, he thought, but that was it. The dog wasn‘t the only stray in New York, probably not even the only stray in this neighborhood or street. But most times, the dogs weren‘t looking at people. They were smarter than humans, knew that they would get noticed if they looked too much.

Clint turned around and started walking back to his apartment, pizza only lukewarm. Maybe the dog would be there tomorrow. He could try to get it to a vet. It seemed to have a gash on its face.

~*~*~ 

He didn‘t see the dog the next day. Or even the next few days. And when he saw it, he almost killed it on accident because he tripped over it.

Clint was tired. He hurt everywhere, even in places he didn‘t know that could hurt (seriously – how could someone hurt in their _hair?!_ ). He thought he had a concussion, but there were definitely two broken ribs. Coulson would kill him tomorrow for not going to the med bay directly but Clint really just wanted to sleep a few hours. And then he tripped over something.

„Fuck, dammit.“, he gasped, grabbing at a lantern with his right hand, barely keeping down a scream. Okay, and a few broken bones in his hand. He should maybe do something with that before he went to bed. Then he heard the whimper. And even though he was hurt, Clint knew that the sound didn‘t come from him. Still, he hadn‘t expected to find something laying on the ground, barely breathing. Whimpering. Clint recognized it. The dog from a few days ago.

Carefully, he crouched down, ignoring the pain blossoming in his leg and carefully held out a hand to the dog, which looked at him, distrusting, the gash still on its face next to a few wounds which were coming from claws. But a normal street fight between dogs wouldn‘t leave it laying here, on the verge of dying.

„Hey, buddy.“, Clint said and let the dog smell at his hand, which probably didn‘t smell like anything else than blood.

„I‘m not going to hurt you, okay?“, he continued to whisper and put the hand down on the dog's fur. It was grimy and seemed to be cloaked with something. Probably blood.

„Who did this to you, hm?“, he asked, ignoring how stupid it was to talk to the dog. It wasn‘t like it would answer. But then he saw the breathing. He wasn‘t an expert in dogs, far from it. He just liked to pet them occasionally. But he was sure that the breathing of a dog shouldn‘t be so… shallow. Almost not there. Probably also a broken rib.

„That makes two of us, buddy.“, he whispered, feeling nausea creeping up. Dogs weren‘t breaking each other's ribs, did they? Had someone kicked it? Clint swallowed and closed his eyes when the dog whimpered again before crouch-walking to the dog and carefully lifting it up.

„Come on, buddy. My car‘s parked a few streets down. Let‘s get you to the vet.“

~*~*~ 

„It‘s good you brought him. He would‘ve died if you hadn‘t found him.“, the doctor said and gave him a smile. He nodded, still tired, still hurting. But at least his head didn‘t hurt that much anymore.

„So he will be healthy again?“, Clint asked, not knowing why. It was just a stray. Not even his own dog. The doctor‘s smile became strained and she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

„Kind of, yeah. The gash in his face took his eye. The other one is healthy, but his left one? Gone. That‘s not an issue for most dogs, they can adapt. One of the broken ribs punctured a lung slightly, nothing that‘s really dangerous, but his lung function won‘t be as good as he‘s used to it. And we‘re not even talking about the probably psychological trauma he has. We are talking about injuries that only humans can leave.“

Clint nodded, thinking. Nothing that he wouldn‘t have suspected. It still made him sick to hear that people like… this were allowed to walk around freely.

„All in one? He got lucky.“, the doctor said and Clint grinned at her.

„Yeah. He‘s lucky. When can I get him home?“

~*~*~ 

„Aw, Lucky, no!“, Clint wailed when the stupid dog snatched his last piece of pizza and ran to the living room. He heard a snickering sound from Tony and a cackling laugh from Natasha. Traitors.

„Why is it that you feed your dog pizza? Jane has a cat, she says pizza is not for pets. Are dogs different pets?“, asked Thor, watching fascinated Lucky devouring the large slice of pizza.

„No, Thor. Jane was right. Clint is just stupid and didn‘t train his pet how he should.“, Natasha said with the straightest face she could muster while Tony just laughed, even more, when he saw Clint‘s sad face.

"So my Lady Jane did everything right?", Thor perked up, obviously happy that he found such a competent partner. Strange guy. Who the hell even owned a cat. And then just one? Weren’t they some of those things that only came in starter packs with twelve pieces?

„Come on, we order new pizza. JARVIS? Order a pizza for everyone, three for Thor and Steve. Oh, and a small one for lucky, he loves pizza.“, Tony said, watching Lucky, who perked up at hearing his favorite word so often

„No, no pizza for you anymore. You already stole enough!“, Clint said sternly, but Lucky ignored him, devouring the rest of his prey.

„Even Lucky knows you don‘t mean it. You will just give him more when he will turn his puppy eyes to you. He knows he will get lucky.“, Natasha said, now with a smile.

Clint sighed and crouched down, petting his dog slightly, getting an enthusiastic lick in return. Natasha was right. Lucky would always get what he wants, no matter what. Clint knew how it was to forgo something. Lucky did, too. And now, they both could have whatever they wanted. Well, almost.

They both got lucky.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Clint Barton Bingo on Tumblr](https://clintbartonbingo.tumblr.com/), which can also be found here on AO3.
> 
> You can find [my Tumblr here](https://ruquas-dreambell.tumblr.com/). If you have a request, just let me know it there :)


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